The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 280 No 7501 p565
10 May 2008

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• New professional body (2)
• Council election (2)
• Trimethoprim
• Restricted title
• Addiction
• Medicines use reviews
• English Pharmacy Board
• Epilepsy
• Euthanasia
• Public relations
• The Society

Letters to the Editor

New professional body

Read the Society’s five-minute guide

From Mr H. R. Patel, FRPharmS

Distributed with this issue of The Journal is a two-page insert giving members a five-minute guide to the latest plans for the new professional body for pharmacy (PDF 260K). The document outlines what has been decided so far in terms of its functions and includes a timetable of milestones for the creation of the new professional body and the new regulator in January 2010.

I encourage anyone with an interest in the future of pharmacy to take time to read the document and familiarise themselves with the main points. The document is a summary, but detailed information is available on the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s website.

The Government’s decision to transfer the regulatory functions of the Society to a new regulator for pharmacy has presented a unique opportunity to build a dynamic new professional body for pharmacy. The Society will play an integral part in the creation of the new body, and I am confident that the agreed course will be successful in creating a professional organisation that is attractive to members and can act as a strong voice for pharmacy in influencing government and other external stakeholders.

It is my vision to see pharmacy repositioned as a clinical profession by 2020 and to make Britain the safest place in the world to take medicines, and I am certain that the new professional body will be able to deliver on this.

Hemant Patel
President,
Royal Pharmaceutical Society

Grasp history

From Dr M. H. Jepson, FRPharmS, and others

The report of the recent meeting of the Waterloo Group (PJ, 26 April 2008, p493) and the panel that lists bodies that want to work with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society do not mention the British Society for the History of Pharmacy.

Although at present the BSHP would not choose to be an integral part of the new organisation, we believe it is vital to co-operate. The BSHP submitted a response to the Clarke Inquiry and wishes to be included in the debate on the future structure of the Society. In this way, we would expect to best serve the mutual interests of our members.

It is our belief that recording, teaching and researching the history of our profession must play an integral part in planning for our future. Responsibility for this, lies with the Society and the BSHP.

Michael Jepson
President
Peter Worling
Past President
Peter Homan
Secretary, British Society for the History of Pharmacy

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